Weimar trio meets in Germany

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, (C), talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, (R), and Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski, (L), prior to their working session of the one-day meeting during the 25th anniversary of the Weimar Triangle at the Ettersburg castle near Weimar, Germany, 28 August 2016.

Weimar trio meets in Germany

Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcomed his Polish and French counterparts to Ettersburg near Weimar on August 28. The three met at the site where the Weimar Triangle group was formed 25 years ago to boost cooperation between the three countries.

The ministers discussed Brexit, the immigration crisis, terrorism, the EU’s eastern policy and the situation in eastern Ukraine.

As reported by Radio Poland, they also signed a joint statement. “We want to strengthen the EU and the foundations of European integration, improving it and demonstrating its ability to act”.

On August 29, Poland’s Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski and France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault are scheduled to open a conference of German ambassadors in Berlin.

Specifically on the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the Reuters news agency reported that all three ministers agreed there should be greater international efforts to end the fighting. Steinmeier told reporters there had not been sufficient progress in implementing the Minsk agreement. “We have to work for a de-escalation of the situation,” he said.